A sensor device for process variable determination in an industrial environment, comprising a sensor base and a first expansion module. The sensor base includes circuitry that determines the process variable, a first mechanical interface for mechanically accommodating a first expansion module and a first communication interface to the first expansion module for transmitting measurement and/or control data. In this case, the first expansion module has a second mechanical interface to the sensor base, a third mechanical interface for mechanically accommodating a second expansion module, a second communication interface to the sensor base for transmitting measurement and/or control data, and a third communication interface to the second expansion module for transmitting measurement and/or control data.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A sensor device for process variable determination in an industrial environment, comprising: a sensor base and a first expansion module, the sensor base including: processing circuitry configured to determine the process variable, a first mechanical interface that mechanically receives the first expansion module, and a first communication interface that interfaces to the first expansion module and that transmits measurement and/or control data, wherein the first expansion module includes: a second mechanical interface that interfaces to the sensor base, a third mechanical interface that mechanically receives a second expansion module, a second communication interface that interfaces to the sensor base and that transmits measurement and/or control data, and a third communication interface that interfaces to the second expansion module and that transmits measurement and/or control data.
2. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the first expansion module is attached to a side of the sensor base and is configured to receive the second expansion module as a final expansion module or a stack of further expansion modules.
3. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the first mechanical interface includes a thread.
4. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the first communication interface is optical, electrical, electromagnetic or inductive.
5. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor base further includes a first electrical interface that interfaces to the first expansion module for providing power, and wherein the first expansion module further includes: a second electrical interface that interfaces to the first expansion module for providing power, and a third electrical interface that interfaces to the second expansion module for providing power.
6. The sensor device according to claim 5, wherein the first electrical interface is inductive or wired, and receives power from the first expansion module.
7. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the first expansion module is arranged to provide power to the sensor base as a wired power connection module.
8. The sensor device according to claim 1, comprising a topmost extension module of a stack of extension modules as a final module a photovoltaic sensor, an operating device and/or a display device.
9. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the first expansion module is configured to receive, as an expansion adapter, a contactless sensor module.
10. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the first expansion module includes a data memory and/or a communication circuit operating as an external communication link.
11. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the first expansion module includes an acceleration sensor, a pressure sensor, a geomagnetic field sensor, a gas sensor, a distance sensor, a brightness sensor and/or a temperature sensor.
12. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein a stack of expansion modules includes a cover.
13. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine a pressure, a filling level, a limit level or a density.
14. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the first expansion module is arranged to provide power to the sensor base as a battery module.
15. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical interfaces of the expansion modules of a stack of expansion modules have a tightness value.
16. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the first mechanical interface includes a snap-on device.
17. The sensor device according to claim 5, wherein the first electrical interface is inductive or wired, and delivers power to the first expansion module.
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December 20, 2019
January 7, 2025
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